The idea is simple yet very elegant: a keyboard which is in fact a full color touch screen. This way any configuration can be used with the multi-touch interface. Image manipulation, video playing, or just typing. Without physical keys there are no limits to any tactile interface you’d need.

I would love to get my hands on one of these, the possibilities are endless.

Cisco is aiming at business users with the Cius, but the specs are pretty impressive for lots of other things as well:

• 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, 3G data (4G to follow soon) and Bluetooth 3.0
• HD video: 720p at 30 FPS (with Cisco TelePresence interoperability)
• 5-megapixel rear facing camera and dual noise-cancelling microphones
• On-board accelerometer
• Virtual desktop client
• Android operating system, with access to Android marketplace applications
• Collaboration applications including Cisco Quad, Cisco Show and Share, WebEx, Presence, and IM
• 7” hi-res color screen with contact-based touch targets
• HD media station supports Bluetooth and USB peripherals, 10/100/1000 wired connectivity and a handset option
• 8-hour (detachable and serviceable) battery
• Cisco AnyConnect Security VPN Client
• HD audio with wideband support

Shawing, baby! Sweet! Weighing in at just over a pound (520 grammes / 1.15 lbs) this bad boy will be available Q1, 2011.

I want one. Badly.

The full post: Apples attack on Adobe Flash, its all about online video. (via Slashdot)

James closes his article with:  ”In conclusion, as a developer who likes Flash, to tell the truth, I can respect the business decision by Steve to not allow Flash on their iTechnology platforms for good old competitive reasons. What is wrong here is that Apple is on a campaign of deception. They are not happy to not use flash, but are also producing FUD to displace Flash as a relevant web technology.”

I agree. In my view it’s all about the money, although James thinks it’s about the video. I think Mr. Jobs just does not want a platform that can be (and is) used for free games on his devices where he is currently making 30% off every game sold in his App Store. And that is fair and completely up to him, but just come out and say that, don’t piss on another company’s work and products to hide the fact that you like your revenue stream.
And for the record: as a developer I have rarely seen any company so closed, proprietary and revenue-focused as Apple. Apple is no longer “cool” (although they do make very “cool” products), it is just as much an “Evil Empire” as they say Microsoft, Google, Adobe or anyone else is. No biggie, it happens to every company at that level, but for God’s sake be honest about what you are.

Source: Make

Had some cake. Had some hugs and kisses, and my main man Robert bought me a totally sweet Asus VW220T 22″ widescreen TFT monitor, and it R-O-C-K-S!

Okay, technically the N800 is not a phone, but this technology is heading there fast. Very interesting, especially if both running OSes get full (shared) access to the actual comms hardware so you could for example run Android for your (GSM) phone functionality and Windows Mobile for the (3G) office connectivity at the same time.

The patented cooling system allows for extreme performance without frying your boards or chips. The system circulates the coolant through a radiator at 2.5 gallons per minute, effectively providing a cool heat-exchange medium to every component on every available millimeter of surface.

The Hardcore machine uses oodles of custom or customised parts and can run up to three top of the line graphics cards without breaking a sweat. There’s two fan-cooled, 3.5″ SATA hot swap bays in the rear of the case but the Reactor has three 2.5″ slots which are outfitted with three Samsung SLC-based SSD drives. Do not put normal harddisks in these slots folks, they will most likely die in the liquid. Oh, and the machine has redundant power supplies, so you will probably expire before this puppy does.

Available from around USD 4000 for the base model the price is hefty compared to your run-of-the-mill system, but not when you take into account all that this powerhouse delivers. The stats are awesome and the full spec list is yummy.
Go check it out, Maximum PC did an excellent test & write-up of this beast.

Hardcore Computer via Maximum PC